I returned to my sewing machine after a long break. The project: transforming Sue the Napkin into Sue the Pillow—actually, two pillows. I started with four napkins, enough to make two matching pillow covers while still keeping extras for dining.
Materials I used:
- Four Sue the Napkins (I originally bought more on clearance from Crate & Barrel and kept extras for table use).
- A reliable sewing machine (I call him Oh Brother).
- Two old pillows to serve as inserts for the new covers.
- A hand needle and brown thread to finish one edge by hand so the insert can be removed later if I want to switch covers.
The process was simple and straightforward. I stacked two napkins with the printed sides facing each other so the wrong sides faced outward. With the stack inside out, I used the sewing machine to stitch three sides completely shut. I stitched into the corners and took the stitching an inch or two along the final side while still inside out to secure the corners.
After sewing, I turned the cover right-side out, inserted a pillow, and closed the remaining opening—about 10 inches—by hand using the brown thread. Finishing that last edge by hand makes it easy to seam-rip in the future if I want to remove the insert and replace or wash the cover.
I’ve never minded hand sewing; it feels similar to hand-painting or doing light demo work—tasks I enjoy when I can control the pace. I sometimes grumble about relying on a sewing machine, but for this project the machine performed well and helped me get neat, consistent seams. I’m not a professional seamstress, but I managed to sew three straight lines without ending in a tangled pile of thread, which felt like a small victory.
The whole project didn’t take long. I worked in short bursts during television commercial breaks, completing both covers in the span of a few breaks—roughly a dozen minutes in total for the machine sewing portion. I finished the hand stitching later while watching another program, and although I paused frequently to react to the show, the actual sewing time was short.
The finished pillows looked better than I expected. Once fluffed and photographed, they read like genuine, intentional throw pillows rather than upcycled napkins. That said, in everyday life they quickly become flattened or squished. Our small chihuahua, Burger, has a habit of turning pillows into lumpy blobs, but he’s adorable, and we accept the resulting imperfection.
Sometimes Burger even nudges the pillow as if to reward it for being comfortable—an amusing reminder that a handmade cushion can still be a pet’s favorite spot.
If you’re looking to turn napkins into pillow covers yourself, this is an easy and low-cost way to refresh your throw pillows. Use two identical napkins per cover, stitch three sides with the right sides together, turn it, insert a pillow or cushion, and finish the final seam by hand. The result is a removable, washable cover that gives new life to fabric you already own.
Have you tried making napkin pillows recently? I’d love to hear about your projects and any tips you picked up along the way. And for anyone watching the same sitcoms, I’ll keep enjoying the shows while I sew—just don’t spoil the latest episodes for me.